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Sunday, 31 July 2011

Hi all. Not a Kenny K card from me this week as it is Team B taking over the reins for the challenge today. However, it is another special day at Kenny K as it is another release day! In suspense? – Need to know the theme? In one word – STEAMPUNK!!!! Yes, grab those metal embellishments, those broken watch bits, brads, pins & charms you have squirreled away as you will need them to enter the Kenny K challenge this week. For inspiration on what a steampunk creation entails & to find out what fab images Kenny has penned for us all now, head over to the Challenge blog & you will see what the Team B girlz have conjured up using the latest images.

The prize sponsor this week is

& I am sure you don’t need me to tell you what fab papers Donna creates, so well worth winning too.

Friday, 29 July 2011

The image I have used on my DT card this week is called 'Snow Buddy' & I coloured him with Promarkers, paper piecing his hat and jacket & the snowman's scarf (possibly purloined from his granddad I reckon as it is a traditional plaid, the 'de rigueur' of scarf design! LOL). Went for that heavy with snow sky again as you can see but I just love the effect. As for the all important die cut element of this week's challenge I decided to use the negative rather than the positive of my snowflake dies for a change, setting the white card layer above the main dp using Pinflair Glue Gel so that the dp would show through. The sentiment from bizzybecsstore.com is set into the centre of a Spellbinders die cut and a touch of Stickles hopefully adds an icy touch to this & the white snowflake die cut square.

For the inside I created an insert using the same design paper as on the front and also a sentiment from Elegant WordArt which I thought went rather well with the image. LOL.

Didn't I do well to keep that short & sweet today, but this gives me the chance to remind everyone that Phindy has a DT call on so if you appreciate her penmanship, do head on over to the challenge blog for further details. I have so enjoyed my time with them & I am sure you would too. As for this week, as ever, the challenge posts on a Friday and we would love it if you could join in with us using at least one die cut element. You don't have to actually use one of Phindy's images to enter, but if you do, you can enter your card twice using the linky - meaning you double your chance of winning!

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

We are heading very quickly to August now, which in our family means weddings & then of course, anniversaries! Well, I am trying my hand once again at a CAS card as they can look particularly elegant for such occasions & as they say, practice makes perfect! LOL. The image I am using is from our sponsor, Digi Doodle, called as you might expect, 'Wedding Cake'. You will also notice that I have been very adventurous, not only in attempting another CAS card but that there is more intense colour outside the image than there is on it.

I have of course, coloured my entire image using Promarkers and I have been aided in this by the wonderful addition of the tiny nibs for these pens. The detail on the floral elements on the cake would have been a nightmare for a regular Promarker nib. This addition (whilst another expense I grant you), is what Promarker users have been waiting for so if you are a Promarker gal (or guy), do get your inky mits on them if you can. It gives the Promarkers the kind of nib that Letraset's more expensive 'bigger brother', the Tria has & operates using the same principle. The tiny nib clicks on top of one of the original nibs & drains the colour from this nib to the newly attached one. Whereas the Tria does this on top of the wide nib, it is the regular sized nib on the Promarker attachment. Ideally you would have one for each of your pens but if you are lucky enough to have a full set, or the best part of one, realistically this isn't necessarily going to happen all at once. I wouldn't suggest swapping the tops around too much though either, as you will contaminate your work but keeping a top for colour 'families' might be a better option until you can get a nib for each of your markers. You won't regret it I promise you. Getting the new nib into tiny corners is a breeze.

I have coloured the shading on the white cake too, (I assure you...just not too clear on the photo so you just might have to look a bit closer, LOL), but I think the colour outside the cake is so intense it is either draining the colour from it or distracting from it. Not sure which, maybe both - so you have to look carefully. Mind you, my photography skills can often leave a lot to be desired! LOL.

For the insert on the inside of the card I have tried to retain the overall feel of the front, layering a more washed out version of the digital rose paper over the more intense red one on the sentiment side and just a simple floral square on the other.

I am sure you Promarker fans will be able to join us this week for our 'anything goes' week and you never know, you might be the lucky recipient of a $10 gift certificate for Digi Doodle Shops.

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Hi everyone, and as you can see, the pockets I have on my card are those on a wallet. I reckoned that the guy in this image has loadsa ker-ching! With that pimped ride and the flashy jewellery adorning him he can certainly splash the cash. So I reckoned that the perfect kind of pocket for him just had to be on a wallet.

The image I chose to use is called 'King Bling', and I coloured him with Promarkers and a couple of Trias. I did however, paper piece the lower part of his hoodie and the t-shirt so they had a design on them. I thought grey marl joggers suited his ensemble though so just coloured them with my Promarkers. LOL. Sucker for punishment as I am, I also coloured a second image, a cut down version for the 'photo' in the wallet, complete with the same paper pieced elements - and yes, it really does pull out of pocket #1 as if it is a photo & has an acetate 'window' like a real wallet! To make it more 'photographic' though I added sky to this second image as he would need a background.

Pockets #2 & #3 are on the other side to hold the 'credit cards' and the cash - and in this instance, the sentiment too. This means it doubles up perfectly not only as a card but as a present as I can pop in any relevant shop voucher etc. into the pockets too. See, method in the madness! The stitching around the edges is all faux today made with a Letraset fineliner as this card was made before I got my mits on any of the new nibs. I made the sentiment on the PC in the shape of a credit card to fit in with the theme. I then added the 'metal' corners to both sides of the front as this is how my son's wallet is designed - why they are not on the back too I have no idea, as surely the back gets as much wear as the front? Still, mine is not to reason why a gent's wallet is as it is, so I just added my card corners (which were coloured also with Promarkers), to the front .

You might have to click on the image to get a better view!

Now then, I hope that having seen the fabby cards the KKKDT have produced this week you are all suitably inspired to have a go and create some pocket themed cards of your own and join in with our challenge. Don't forget, you can use any image for the Kenny K challenge, but only those using Kenny K Digi Stamps will be entered into the draw.

Friday, 22 July 2011

Yes, it doesn't matter what the two of something is - could be images/buttons/brads etc - just this week we would like to see where using 2 takes you. My card uses the image of 'Sharing', though whether his generosity is through his misfortune of spilling his dripping ice or vaguely intentional, is perhaps debatable! LOL. I have visions of him moving off towards the sea, seeing a wave rolling in under his feet & promptly plopping down into the ripples. Yes, I know - you are asking yourselves why I have put a caterpillar onto sand - but there again, why not? LOL. Maybe the little lad brought his pet caterpillar on holiday with him! LOL.

The image has been coloured with Promarkers though I also paper pieced a couple of elements of his clothing - two pieces of course, LOL, his shorts & sun hat. The other sets of 2 on my card are: 2 rows of stitching, 2 eyelets, 2 Flemish knots in 2 'ropes' (aka string!) & 2 corners embellished with triangles. I do have two images....it is just that the second one is in the inside, along with a recoloured sentiment from Elegant WordArt and the birthday wishes I added on the PC.

Hope you like it and would love to join in with the challenge at Phindy's Place this week. If you can use one of Phindy's images, we just love seeing them, but it isn't compulsory - though as an incentive you can add your card twice into the challenge to double your chances of winning. What is more, if you just love Phindy's images do you know there is a DT call on? Sadly, my time is nearly up but this gives you the chance to be part of a great team. If you think you might be interested & would like a few more details it is on the blog here. In the mean time, I hope to see your entries at Phindy's Challenge this week.

Wednesday, 20 July 2011

If your conscience is pricking that you haven't made any Christmas cards so far this year, here is the perfect opportunity to make a start & possibly win a prize into the bargain. Grab those Promarkers ladies & gents & join in with us our challenge this week!

I chose to use this lovely mouse & candle image from the talented Elizabeth Dulemba and used not one but two sentiments from our sponsor this week - the linear one echoing the title of the poem our illustrious mouse is reading, the other just reinforcing the date of celebration. Mind you, as my son was only too quick to point out, surely I should have used the 24th rather than the 25th given the title of said poem! LOL.

I have used papers from Barely Mine, inking around some of the edges with Distress Inks & then distressing the edges before sewing into position. The one with the golden 'Merry Christmas' message in the design I also added a couple of gold borders to, as cutting it down to size lost the golden border it had originally & I wanted to match it in. The main cardstock for the base is rather glitzy & 'posh' in itself with a kind of dual tone sparkle to it and the base mat has also this fabulous sparkling sheen to it but my photographic skills sadly can't do them justice. I also inked the Fleur de Lis shape behind the circular sentiment & touched the edges with gold to match the gilded paper.

This time around, for the insert I went down the more traditional route adding a sentiment etc. to folded paper. I did however, add a lightened version of the image itself, placing it behind the extract of the poem (just the first 2 verses) & I can add the 'to' & 'from' by hand on the opposite side at a later date when I know who I am sending it to. LOL.

Friday, 15 July 2011

Welcome all, and my card for Phindy's today uses the rather seasonal image of 'Setting the Stars' and I have coloured her with Promarkers, setting her in a Nestie shape. I went with a more limited pastel palette of just blues & creamy yellows, picking out the colours from the single dp.

The paper is one from Bearly Mine with white stars amongst the swirly background. I have my angel popping the stars onto it, flying above the swirling clouds to do so. Yes, I know you are thinking that this is probably an odd colour choice for what could well be a night time scene - after all, you don't see the stars at any other time. But that is the reason for my pastel colourway. The stars are always there - day or night - just obscured by daylight and what better a time for a busy angel to be sorting the stars out, unseen to human eyes!

For the swirly cloud I embossed white card and cut out by hand a cloud shape from it, inking the edges with Distress Ink. I then did another cloud in the same shape but this time in plain card and off-set that against the swirly one. I then added this fab bit of lace which reminded me of falling rain - but then again, that is probably only me! LOL. The only real concession to it being a more wintery theme other than the Christmas-like angel image is the distressed edges I gave to the design paper & the plain card behind which I then also ran some paint over to catch on the raised texture. I hope this gives the impression of tiny snow drifts. The sentiment set in a circle & recoloured blue is from TLC.

The actual card shape itself is a tent card, and yes, it is my second this week but this time around it is more conventional - a square with no shapes jutting out - well, the cloud does a tiny bit, but I am not counting that. LOL. As it is the tent shape and doesn't open out, then my main sentiment plus the 'to' & 'from' are on the back rather than inside the card. For this I made a pocket using the same paper & card as the front & there is a tag into the pocket for the recipients' names to be added by hand later. The larger silver mirri star on the top of the tag has a foam pad behind to raise it above the layered Nestie shapes below and helps keep the tag in position. The stars running along the back of the card have either been punched from vellum or card and have either been given a dose of Crafter's Companion Spray & Sparkle, an outline of blue Stickles (or a bit of each) or given a shadowy outline with a Promarker like the stars on the image itself. As is usually the case, none of the sparkle is really showing up in the photo.

The sentiment I printed out in blue rather than the regular black and was made on the PC. I shall pop it on here if you would like to use it in the future yourselves.

I hope that you will be able to play along with us at Phindy's this week. As ever, you don't have to use one of her images on your card but if you do you can enter your card twice to double your chances of winning.

- the red text highlighted ones shown above I have used on this particular card but to play along you just choose any from the list.

The image is called 'Celebrate with cake', available from Phindy's Place and I have coloured her with Promarkers giving her red patent shoes that any little girl would be proud of. The Martha Stewart border punch I did my 'cutting it through to go round a circle' trick for the front of the card and the sentiment within the oval shape on the front is from TLC, placed in a die cut with slots in for the ribbon. I had to be a bit crafty with that narrower ribbon too, as I found that I had run out of narrow red so coloured my fabby white satin ribbon from Fantastic Ribbons with Promarkers instead. It goes a little stiff once dried, but on the positive side that does make it all the easier to stick down! LOL.

When I was sketching out what I wanted to do with the inside of the card I realised that my papers made it look rather like a fruit cake with a paper 'sash' around the middle (like my mum used to put onto our Christmas cake). There again, maybe that is just my hectic imagination again & no one else can see it! LOL. With that thought though, I then added the frilled punched borders & faux stitching to the 'sash' and it was mounted onto the inside of the card to create a pocket for my 'to' & 'from' tag to go into. The top of the tag I drew in pencil to look like a candle (albeit a short, stocky one) on top of dripping icing and when in the pocket, the top lines up exactly with the back of the card. - so it looks like the candle is on top of the cake when in position.

I would like to thank Linda & the lovely ladies over at Catered Crop for choosing me as Guest Chef and asking me to play along with them this week. I hope they, & you, like my resulting card! I am sure they would love it if you could join in too. Just choose as many items from the provided recipe as you like to use on your card.

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Yes, there are indeed only 2 papers on this one....I just split them up and mixed 'em up, not to mention tearing one & then inking them all up with Distress Inks. I chose the layout over at CLP this month (...well, my take on it, LOL so I hope the ladies over there like my version). I teamed the papers with glossy black card stock and made a variation of Dena's fab tent card (shallower & longer so I got the deviations in dimension & layers - & without the hole in the middle).

All colouring has been done with Promarkers and a couple of Tria pens. The image itself is an 'oldie but a goodie' from Pollycraft called 'Beer Monster', which kind of says it all really and I gave him a Man City coloured T-shirt as I am thinking of sending this to my brother-in-law - ( & I am sure my sister-in-law will definitely see the funny side! LOL.) As for the other required elements for the challenge this week, I drew my own buttons and made them 4-hole to be 'extra manly' LOL and these were popped onto the card using Pinflair Gel. The 'ribbon' is another of my variations as I made this from plaiting twine and sewing it down onto the card itself to secure - again more 'manly' that satin would be. LOL.

As it is the tent card shape it doesn't open out, but the 'to' & 'from' can be popped onto the reverse of the card. I just love all the dimensional layers with this one. Hope you do too!

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Good Morning Kenny K Fans, today we're celebrating the 1st year Anniversary of the Kenny K Challenge blog with a Blog Hop and 8 Fabulous New releases from Kenny K called the Showbiz Celebrities that are now available atKenny K Downloads

The Kenny K Krafty Girlz have all created some fantastic cards for you showcasing these new images

If you'd like to participate in the Kenny K 1st Year Anniversary blog hop and you didn't arrive here from Trine's Blog, then click here to start at the beginning on Donna's Blog

The Blog hop starts today and runs until July 23rd at midnight UK time.

On your way around the Hop, some of the Krafty Girlz will be offering up a candy of their own as a small token of thanks for stopping by!

The image I have been assigned to work with is 'Monty Haul' & I thought that I could use the fact that he was a gesturing game show host to add my own wording for a male-themed card. I coloured the image with Promarkers and a recent acquisition, a couple of Tria pens to give him a nice pair of beige trousers and some 'trendy' tan slip-on shoes. Now you might have noticed that I have also paper-pieced his checked jacket to match in with one of the dps in the background - it was just asking to be paper pieced I thought - and what better than with a checked 'fabric'. The '70s were full of checked jackets, LOL, to my recollection anyway!

Hopefully my paper choice also reflects the era in question, and I gave the edges a touch of Distress Inks to echo the feel of a bygone decade. I gave some of the layers on my mats rounded corners as this too seemed to hark back to the '70s - just remember all those shirt collars! I continued the theme onto the inside of the card where I added a second image and used the PC to create my own speech bubble text as I had done for the card front. I added a few gems for a touch of the glitz the '70s game shows aspired to, recolouring my plain gems with my every-ready Promarkers so they too would match in perfectly.

When you've finished hopping we have a challenge (everyone's favorite.....ANYTHING GOES) AND a MAJOR prize from some fantastic sponsors

Here is a list of our sponsors and the fabulous prizes they have donated

Cult Pens is offering TWO sets of the Copic Ciao's in addition to offering KENNY K fans a SPECIAL DISCOUNT for the two week's only of 10% off your COPIC purchases using this discount code at the checkout

KK10

Offering 5 Die Sets worth £61.95

offering a £10 Gift Voucher

offering 5 Tria Markers of the winner's choice

is offering a $15 Gift Certificate

is offering a special dispenser full of ribbons worth £25

plus they are also offering a special collection of ribbons for Kenny K that normally retails for £25, but for the Kenny K customers, you can get it for only £15....how awesome is that!

You MUST leave a comment on EVERY BLOG, there are only 23 and you have got a whole two weeks to leave comments, that’s almost 2 or 3 a day! You are also asked to make a card for the Anything Goes Challenge using a Kenny K image and link it after completing the blog hop. The big prize Winner of the challenge will be picked by Random.Org.

We hope you have fun hopping around the Krafty Girlz and special guest’s blogs, leaving comments along the way and can find enough inspiration to get your creative juices flowing so that you can enter our challenge for the next two weeks for your chance to win the GRAND PRIZE

Well, I hope you like my card (if you can remember what it looked like at the top of the post! LOL), and good luck on the Hop! Don't forget to leave a Comment so that we know you have passed through then pop along to the next in line on the Hop, Elaine's Blog and see the fab card she's created.

Friday, 8 July 2011

Another Friday and another phab Phindy image, this time called 'Squeezes'. Isn't she adorable? I coloured her with Promarkers (is there anything else I would use? LOL), and I also did a bit of paper piecing. Now, by 'a bit' I mean all her outfit really, so quite a bit of paper piecing. LOL. I decided to use the sketch over at Sketch Saturday for the layout and the sentiment is from TLC. The prerequisite button is a larger than life domed variety with a shank, a left over from a blouse I made many moons ago. Popped it onto a red paper clip as you can see.

I tore the edges of my papers and used Distress Inks too. The stars on the sketch I interpreted as starry flowers which I thought also matched the ones on the background dp rather well and layered them up using Pinflair glue.

Thinking of joining in with our challenge? Any kind of button will do (why not a few buttons rather than just one), and whilst we would love you to use one of Phindy's images on your card, it isn't strictly necessary but if you do, don't forget to enter your card twice into the challenge to double your chances of winning. Hope to see you there!

Thursday, 7 July 2011

Yet another CAS project from me. Two in a week! What is the world coming to!.....LOL.....This time it is simply because we have been invited to a party to celebrate a Silver Wedding and acceptances are usually rather simplistic - and what is even better, a CAS card is far quicker to do so I can get it in the post pronto! LOL.

I made 2 large tags the one at the front bearing the image & the one immediately behind it the acceptance wording/from etc. You might recognise one of Phindy's gorgeous images as I have used it before, that of 'Love Birds', but this time have only used my Promarkers to colour in the beaks, a bit of shading on the birds' feathers and silver for the heart and centres of the flowers around them. I printed the all wording for the two tags on the PC, the 'Acceptance' being raised up on foam having been mounted on silver mirri.

I punched a slot into the 2 tag layers and threaded the silver ribbon through to secure together so all I had to do then is write our names and find an envelope.

Now, just in case you too have to do a quick make for an acceptance card I have added my wording here if you would like to use them. I did of course, just give you the dotted lines to add your own dates! Hope you find it useful.

All artwork by Tine is copyrighted by MYOWS, My Original Work

Copyright

It is great if you gain inspiration from any of my designs but please bear in mind that these cards and their photographs are copyrighted and the designs should not be directly copied, published or entered into competitions.
Christine :)

My Free Copyright

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About Me

Hi and welcome to my blog. I love being creative and for the past few years I have been making my own cards for relatives and friends and when I have time, I love scrapbooking too. I live in Greater Manchester but grew up in Preston, Lancashire and live with my very understanding husband and grown-up son.
If you have the time, I would really appreciate a comment so that I know that you have visited.
Thanks, and please call again!